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[Page 99]
Halfway House
20/6/16
Applied for a complete change of clothes to issue the men with. These have arrived and with them are 230 cholera belts! The army again! These are an article of clothing on official lists.
A German shell set fire to the tower of the church near Armentieres station and being a grey day (like every day is here) the flames showed up brightly. The spire was a mass of flames leaping up to heaven and the place was soon gutted.
My officers in this operation at present are Lieuts. Macneil & Sandford Lieuts. Hunter & Russell, Capt. Conran, Lieut. Cull & Rossiter & Lieut. Carwick Kerr & 2/Lieut Smythe. With them are the 250 best men in the Brigade. All ranks attended a lecture at N.Z. Northops at 5.30 which had to be held in two sittings owing to the crowd being too big.
An expert lectured on the photo from aeroplane of the actual trench we assaulted and the Brigadier and Colonel Jackson followed with the tactics of the show. It was most lucid and enjoyable. It is remarkable how every shell hole shows up distinctly on the photograph. Light and shade also produce uncommon effects on the picture.
Called in at Brigade H.Q. on the way home and had supper there. Some strafing was in progress down south apparently. I turned in at 11.30 dog tired.
21/6/16
Very busy all day. The Lt Gill who went out with the 7th Bde was with us all day. Staff people round thick. At night every one crawled. No sleep today.
22/6/16
Turned in 1.30 am. Up at 7 and started one of the busiest days since commencing soldiering. Nearly killed a few times by "whizz bangs" in the firing line. Great deal of strafing today. [indecipherable] searching for Lavesee battery sending columns of dirt up in the air in very quick succession.
Tearing about all day. Crawling all the evening and rode on bikes through heavy strafe & gas alarms to trenches.